Aim to cut waiting period for Haj from 89 to 50 years

BALIK PULAU: Tabung Haji (TH) aims at reducing the waiting period for haj pilgrimage registration to 50 years in future compared to the current period of 89 years.Its Chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim said the target was achievable based on good relations between Malaysia and Saudi Arabia and the additional quota for Malaysian pilgrims.

"With the grace of God, next year our quota will be between 35,000 and 40,000.

As our quota goes up, automatically the waiting period will decrease.

"Previously, the quota was 102 years but now it is down to 89 years. God willing, we will try our best to achieve 50 years and below.

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"This means that a child born today and registered with TH can perform haj when he or she reaches 50 years old.

Currently, we will have to wait until 89 years old before he or she can go for haj pilgrimage.

"How many people can live up to 89 years. This is what we are working on," he told reporters after handing over the "Ziarah Kasih Ramadan 2017" programme totalling RM300,000 to 1,500 recipients here.

The quota of 30,200 compared to 27,900 previously, was the result of discussions between King Salman Abdulaziz Al Saud and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak during former's recent state visit to Malaysia.

Meanwhile, for the convenience of Malaysian haj pilgrims, the Government was trying to obtain parcels of land in Makkah and Madinah to build a Tabung Haji complex to house pilgrims during haj season.

Abdul Azeez said the Saudi Arabian government had offered parcels of land but they have yet to be viewed and decided upon.

"Malaysian pilgrims only have to walk between 600 metres and 700 metres to see the Kaabah compared to pilgrims from other countries who have to walk for quite a distance. All this happened because of the close relationship between Malaysia and Saudi Arabia."

Abdul Aziz said the Ziarah Kasih Ramadan programme did not use the money from TH depositors, rather it was money from TH Foundation and donations from other corporate bodies and the Federal Government.

TH Foundation had an allocation of RM7 million, while contribution from corporate bodies, brought the total provision to RM15 million.

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"The people do not need to worry as the money used in the programme is not from TH depositors.

In fact, TH had also paid its tithe amounting to RM52.75 million and it was being paid to all the Islamic Religious Council in all states last month."

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